


it is the season, isnt it?

by tired_softy



Category: Happiest Season (2020)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fix-It, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, left open ended for a reason, this may be kind of ooc and bad but i angry wrote it at 3 am after watching the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28169760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tired_softy/pseuds/tired_softy
Summary: the riley/abby storyline we deserved
Relationships: Abby Holland/Riley Johnson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 103





	it is the season, isnt it?

Riley sighed heavily and leaned back into the booth as she watched Abby process her story. She glanced up to make eye contact with Riley, and she shrugged, placing her hands upward on the table in a sign of defeat, and Abby turned her gaze back down. Something flashed slightly in her eyes as she studied Riley’s hands, but Riley couldn’t quite make out whatever it was. Her fingers curled into fists as she brought them back under the table. She nervously cracked her knuckles and reached for her drink, taking a long sip. She set it down gently on the table, trying not to startle Abby out of her thoughts.

Abby snorted. “This must be oddly reminiscent for you yeah?”

Riley shrugged again. “Feels a little different when you’re watching someone else go through it. But hey, there’s always hope. Maybe shes changed since high school,”

Abby smiled ruefully at her and shook her head slightly. “For some reason, I’m starting to doubt it,” She raised her glass toward Riley.

“Keep your head up bud,” Riley’s glass met hers, the clinking sound barely echoing over the show behind them. She held Abby’s eyes as they drank, and watched that same look flash across her face. Riley felt her breath hitch the slightest bit before both women shook themselves lightly. 

____________________________________________________________________________

“--- I murdered them,” Riley finishes, hoping for any reaction from the blonde next to her. She was trying to make Abby feel better, she told herself, ignoring her heart slightly tightening as she followed her gaze to Harper, who was leaning into Connor like they were old friends and not highschool exes.

“Yeah… that sounds… fun,” Abby trailed off, her brow furrowing. She nudged her slightly, watching as Abby’s eyes came back to focus on her, and searched her eyes for any emotions other than complete and utter despair. When Abby dropped the bomb that she was going to ask Harper to marry her, Riley couldn’t ignore her heart clenching once more. 

“I’m getting you a real drink,” she muttered to her as she placed a hand on her shoulder. She felt the urge to lean down and press a kiss to her temple as she stood up from her chair but resorted to giving Abby’s shoulder one more squeeze before turning towards the bar area. The last thing Abby probably wanted right now was affection like that, no matter how platonically she meant it. Because she did mean it platonically, she reprimanded herself in her head. ‘You are not catching feelings for your ex’s almost fiance/ almost ex. She heard a throat clear in front of her and started slightly as she realized she had made it to the bar.

____________________________________________________________________________

Riley watched her breath cloud in front of her as she glanced across the parking lot at the two figures walking out of the gas station. No fucking way. That was not Abby fucking Holland walking across the parking lot to John’s car with snacks loaded in her arms. But she could recognize the lilt of the car’s owner’’s voice from a mile away. She placed the gas pump back into the holder and twisted the cap back on, with completely not shaking hands, because Riley definitely wasn’t shaking at the premise of talking to the newly single (possibly?) Abby after the fiasco of the party. She sucked in a breath and strode across the parking lot. 

Abby ignored the steps coming towards them, looking down to hide her smudged makeup and her swollen face. Until she heard the voice. “Fancy meeting you here,” Her head snapped up.

“Riley!?” she exclaimed, and Riley relaxed after noticing Abby’s voice sounded just as nervous as she felt. 

“I was just stopping by to fuel up before heading home, and I couldn’t help but notice the two of you. Looks like you guys found the only place that’s open and selling snacks right now,” she chuckled.

“We’re actually also heading home,” John smiled at her.

“Didn’t you drink at the party? I watched you drink like three glasses of champagne while flirting with the guy bringing them,”

“Well yes, but I think we can all agree the night’s events were quite… sobering,” John’s smile fell slightly as he glanced over to Abby, who was slumped against the car, with her eyes still trained on Riley.

“I still don’t think it’s safe for you two to be driving the hours home tonight. I’m going to have to insist you come to mine for the night.” 

Both of them tried to protest, but Riley held up her hand to silence them. “Didn’t you hear the part where I said I insisted? I meant it. I’m leaving now and I expect to see you following me.” 

As she slid into her car and started the ignition, she prayed they’d actually follow behind her. It would make sense if Abby never wanted to see her again, a reminder of her failed relationship with the woman she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with. As she pulled up to the exit of the parking lot, she risked a glance behind her and saw John’s turn signal flick on after hers, and she breathed a sigh of relief, cranking up the heater.

She pulled into the driveway, trying to maintain her composure as she pulled her keys out of her pocket, watching Abby and John exiting their car. She stood at the top of the driveway as they trudged their way up to her, and she was met by Abby’s watery smile and John’s thankful gaze. She also noticed his eyes flitting between the two of them as she returned Abby’s smile before turning to open her door.  
“I hope you’re okay with the smaller guest bedroom John. I wish I could offer you clothes to sleep in but I don’t know if I’d have anything that would fit you.”

John chuckled. “It’s quite alright Riley. I’m still worried we’re putting you out.”

“Absolutely not,” Riley replied. “Happy to have you two here, even if the circumstances are less than pleasant,” she glanced at Abby and watched that same look from the bar pass over her face quickly before the sadness returned.

She lead Abby to the room down the hall, cracking open the door for her so she can drop her bag of whatever she managed to grab before bolting out of the house at the foot of it, before turning back to her.

“I do have clothes that will fit you.” Riley offered. “Might even be a bit big on you, but it’ll still be more comfy than sleeping in nothing.” Abby nods slightly, and Riley turns toward her own bedroom. They make their way in and Riley pulls out an oversized t-shirt and her comfiest pajama pants, handing them to Abby in a nicely folded pile. “If you need anything, I’ll probably be up for a few more hours, and if I’m not, you know where my room is.”

“Thank you so much, Riley,” Abby stuttered. She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead bit her lip lightly and went to make her way out of the room. 

“Good night Abby. Try and get some sleep,”

Abby did try, but she couldn’t seem to get her mind to settle enough to let her sleep. Visions of Harper, and how things could have gone, and what she could have said, left her thoughts racing until she couldn’t stay in bed. She rolled over, feeling her bare feet hit the rug below, and pushed herself up.

In what she could only assume was the kitchen, she found Riley with a glass of something dark, scrolling through her phone. She settled in the chair next to her, dropping her head into her hands. Wordlessly, Riley grabbed the spare glass next to her and poured from a bottle nearby, sliding it across the bar. Abby took a sip and sighed.

Several drinks later, she finally spoke. “Did I move too fast?” she questioned, her speech only a little slowed. 

“I can’t tell you that,” Riley returned, her voice equally touched by the alcohol she had consumed. “All I can tell you is that whatever happens, it’s probably meant to, whether we want it to or not.”

“After this week, I just want something to go the way I want it to for once,” Abby muttered. She looked at Riley’s hand resting on the table, and up into her face, unreadable. She slides her own hand over Rileys.  
“Abby,” Riley cautions.

“You can say no,” Abby nearly whispers, and prepares to draw her hand back, thinking she’s misread that whatever that’s been going on between the two of them since the bar is mutual.

To her surprise, Riley sets down her drink and moves to cup Abby’s face, their lips an inch apart.

“Is this really what you want?” Riley questions, and Abby sucks in her breath before nodding with enough conviction no one could claim they weren’t certain what she wanted. She closes the gap between the two of them, feeling the warmth spread through her whole body at the touch.


End file.
